Magmatic eruption on Saturday comes after steam-blast eruption on Tuesday

Here are the latest updates from theNational Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Magma Indonesia, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) and other official sources. (All times GMT)

Dangerous mudflows, known as lahars, have been seen pouring down Mount Agung but could travel a long way from the volcano.

Professor Joachim Gottsmann, head of volcanology at Bristol University, told Express.co.uk: “Lahars can perhaps be best described as being similar to very wet concrete."

He said “They are devastating because they are fast moving and erosive due to their volcanic debris load - they can also travel very far. Examples in the Andes report a 400km run out distance from the source.

“Hence populations along rivers which are usually fed from water from a volcano are at risk from lahars even if they are well outside an immediate exclusion zone.”

Modern volcano monitoring techniques will help keep the Mount Agung death toll far below the volcano’s last eruption nearly 55 years ago, when more than 1,000 people were killed.

Professor Mike Burton, who chairs the Volcanology department at the University of Manchester, said: “The probability of a large number deaths and injuries is much lower now than it was in 1963, as modern volcano monitoring techniques have improved.

“There is much better awareness of the hazards posed by explosive eruptions and, most importantly, local populations are better informed, with clearer communication links.

“Therefore, planning for a scenario similar to the 1963 eruption with pyroclastic flow run out up to 12 km from the summit is prudent, with a good probability that the actual eruption will be smaller than that.”

The BNPB has warned that Mount Agung could explode more violently in the coming days and weeks.

Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said: “There is a high possibility of an eruption that would be bigger than before.

“A few signs indicate that activity will continue and that yesterday there were a few explosive eruptions.”

11.55am: Mount Agung ‘could produce pyroclastic flows’

Professor David Rothery, a volcanologist at the Open University, has warned that gas trapped within Mount Agung could cause a huge explosion and pyroclastic flows.

Speaking to Sky News, he said: “It’s a matter of whether that gas can escape passively, just by bubbling through the magma and cracks in the volcano, or whether it builds up to such a volume of gas that it blows out explosively and drives a very high column of fragmented ash into the sky.

“A big heavy column being driven upwards can then collapse down and produce these horrible pyroclastic flows which sweep across the terrain.”

Mount Agung eruption, latest pictures

Thu, January 11, 2018

Indonesian authorities raised the state of alert to its highest level for the volcano, Mount Agung, after thick ash started shooting thousands of meters into the air with increasing intensity

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said 40,000 people had been evacuated from near Bali's erupting Mount Agung volcano, but tens of thousands still needed to move with an imminent large eruption warning issued on Monday.

Sutopo, a spokesman for the agency, said that 40,000 people had evacuated out of around 90,000-100,000 residents estimated in the 8-10 km (5-6 miles) exclusion zone around Agung.

The BNPB said: "Plumes of smoke are occasionally accompanied by explosive eruptions and the sound of weak blasts that can be heard up to 12 km (7 miles) from the peak.

"The potential for a larger eruption is imminent.”

12.30am: Bali airport closed and another airline cancels all flights to and from the holiday hotspot

Bali airport has been closed and another major airline has announced it has cancelled flights to the popular tourist spot.

Qantas' budget airline Jetstar announced all flights to and from Bali on Monday had been cancelled.

Jetstar in a statement said: "Flying conditions in Bali have worsened this morning due to the ash cloud from the Mount Agung volcano.

"As a result, all our flights in and out of Bali for Monday, 27 November have been cancelled."

The airline added that customers on cancelled flights would be contacted and advised how to re-book.

12.05am: Indonesia raises alert to highest level 4

Indonesia’s disaster management agency said it has raised the alert to the highest possible level 4 on Bali’s Mount Agung Volcano.

The agency said: ”Grey ash and occasional weak blasts can be heard 12 km (seven miles) from the peak. Flames were visible at night which indicates a potential eruption could happen anytime.

"In anticipation of the possibility and imminent risk of disaster, PVMBG (the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre) raised Mount Agung alert level from three to four starting from 6 a.m. local time.”

12am: Nicole Stinson taking over live reporting

Reuters

Smoke is still pouring out of the Bali volcano

Sunday November 26

10.40pm: 'Magmatic eruption'

Officials have said the current activity of Mount Agung could a “magmatic eruption” ne which involves the decompression of gas and results in the spewing of ash -- and advised people near the mountain to wear masks.

9.50pm: Mount Agung is reportedly still “spewing out smoke,” according to an eye-witness report.

One holidaymaker on the island wrote on Twitter: “Dawn is breaking over #MountAgung in #Bali. I've been coughing all night from the #VolcanicAsh I've inhailled. The #volcano is still spewing out smoke.”

8pm: More flights cancelled

Authorities at Ngurah Rai International Airport said that 45 flights were canceled Sunday by Cathay Pacific Airways, Jetstar, AirAsia and Garuda Indonesia, affecting more than 5,500 passengers. On Saturday, 14 flights were canceled, affecting some 2,350 passengers.

5.41pm: Fears grow over serious eruption

Fears grow there could be a serious volcanic eruption on Bali.

Disaster officials said ash up to half a centimetre thick settled on villages around the volcano and soldiers and police had distributed masks. Authorities warned anyone still in the exclusion zone around the volcano, which extends 7.5 kilometers from the crater in places, to leave.

5.30pm Jon Rogers taking over reporting

Air Asia is the latest airline to cancel all flights to Bali as Mount Agong volcano continues to spew out volcanic ash.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VACC) in Darwin issued maps showing an ash cloud heading southeast over the neighbouring island of Lombok, away from Bali's capital, Denpasar, where the main international airport is located.

1.48pm: Lombok island's airport remains closed

Ash clouds have forced the closure of Lombok island's airport until at least 6am local time on Monday.

1.30pm: Ash column soars 3,000m into the sky

BNPB Indonesia said the ash column is stretching 3,000m into the sky and leaning east-east from the summit.

12.30pm: Red smoke and lava coming out of crater

Fiery red smoke was pictured pouring out of Bali volcano at 11pm local time on Friday.

BNBP spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho shared the image and said that lava was now coming out of the crater of Mount Agung.

He added: “Since last night the type of eruption is magmatic that continues until now.”

12.20pm: Passengers left waiting at Bali airport

From an airport in Bali, student Chelsea Van de Ven said that many stranded travellers cannot afford new accomodation or flights.

"So they just have to wait it out and see what airlines can do for them," she told Sky News.

PVMBG official Gede Suantika said: "The activity of Mount Agung has entered the magmatic eruption phase, it is still spewing ash at the moment, but we need to monitor and be cautious over the possibility of a strong, explosive eruption.”

10am: Plume stretches 4,000m into sky

The thick plume of smoke and ash has reached 4,000m (13,100 feet), according to the BBC.

9.40am: Aviation warning raised to red

Indonesia has upgraded its Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to red, its highest warning, and said the ash-cloud top could reach 19,654 feet (6,142 metres) above sea level or higher.

The VONA said the ash cloud was moving to east-southeast and seismic activity was characterised by low frequency earthquakes.

The red warning means that an eruption is imminent or underway with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere.

About 2,000 passengers, mainly from Australia, were stranded at Bali airport due to the eruption.

A spokesman for Bali airport has said that at least 28 flights have been disrupted by the volcano

Ngurah Rai airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said: "We try to make the airport as comfortable as possible for the passengers affected, so far we provide special rooms for them to unpack their luggage and video entertainment so they can relax a bit.”

BNBP spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho shared an image showing a burning red glow at the top of Mount Agung.

In a tweet, he asked whether red light seen at the summit could mean the eruption is entering the magmatic phase. He later deleted the tweet.

4pm: Several flights cancelled

Several international flights, including from several cities in Australia and to the Netherlands and Malaysia, have been cancelled and re-routed due to the eruption.

These included flights operated by KLM, Qantas, AirAsia, and Virgin, according to the official website of Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Jetstar Airways tweeted: “Volcanic ash from #MountAgung disrupting #Bali flights - flights cancelled this evening; some of tomorrow's flights delayed to allow for further assessment of flying conditions in the morning.”

AFP Getty

Bali volcano update: Mount Agung looks still on Friday November 24

3.50pm: Flights in and out of Bali still 'normal'

J. A. Barata, a spokesman for Indonesia's Transportation Ministry, insisted that flights in and out of Bali remain "normal".

"Tactical guidance for departure and arrival aircraft has been applied. This hasn't endangered any flights," he said.

3.49pm: 'Incandescence' seen at peak of volcano

BNBP spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho shared an update and an image showing a red light at the peak of the volcano.

He said: "Incandescence at the peak of #Agung on 25/11/2017 at 23:00 pm.

"Gray ash is still coming out of the crater. The PVMBG team continues to analyze and monitor intensive eruptions of Mount Agung."

3.47pm: More than 25,000 evacuees at points of refuge

More than 25,000 evacuees remain at points of refuge across Bali as of Saturday afternoon, according to the BNPB.

3.10pm: Ash cloud moves west-southwest

The volcano alert remains at level 3 and the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) is still orange.

The latest VONA alert said: “Eruption and ash emission is continuing.

“Best estimate of ash-cloud top is around 14,854 FT (4,642m) above sea level, may be higher than what can be observed clearly.